Plain Talk With Rob Port

State Rep. Scott Louser (R-Minot) talks about his legislation which would require party identification in local elections like county commission, municipal government, and even in sheriff elections. Candidates would have to affiliate themselves with a political party, or choose to list themselves as independent.

State Senator Merrill Piepkorn talks about his legislation to raise North Dakota's oil extraction tax from 5 percent back up to 6.5 percent. It was lowered during the 2015 legislative session as a part of reform that also eliminated an exemption from the extraction tax triggered by low prices. The net revenue impact from those changes has been more than $1 billion in additional revenues for the State of North Dakota.

Rob talks about the Buzzfeed and Covington High School stories, and explores why nobody in America's newsrooms was pumping the brakes on them. Also, Julie Ellingson from the North Dakota Stockmen's Association talks about legislation which would close off even unposted private land to public access unless the landowner gives permission.

Audio from Rob's appearance on the Jay Thomas Show on WDAY AM970. Jay and Rob talk about the controversy over the Covington High School teenagers at the March for Life event in Washington, D.C.

In this episode Rob talks about the Fargo Forum and others criticizing Republican lawmakers for their bill implementing Measure 1, which was approved in the 2018 election. But the Forum editorialized against Measure 1 during the election. Now they're lashing out at lawmakers for supposedly watering down the measure, and disrespecting the will of voters. But if the voters approved bad policy, are lawmakers obligated to implement it? Also state Rep. Jake Blum talks about his legislation which would raise speed limits on North Dakota's highways and interstates.

State Auditor Josh Gallion joined Rob to talk about a report his office released detailing nearly $100 million in state funds tied up in state agency funds, despite those agencies getting appropriation increases amid overall budget cuts. Rob also talks about the debate over a bill to end North Dakota's Sunday closing laws. The bill passed, but some of the comments made during the debate were pretty silly.

Should the government be able to take a person's guns because a court finds you dangerous? Is that a reasonable protection for public safety, or something amounting to pre-crime? Denying a person their civil rights based on what they might do? Rep. Karla Rose Hanson, a Democrat from Fargo and sponsor of so-called "red flag" legislation, proposes giving the government that authority. She talks with Rob about it. Also, Rob discusses some on-going headaches with Marsy's Law, and a loophole in state law which allows reserve law enforcement officers to operate like their fully trained and certified counterparts without the certification and training.

Rob talks about that Gillette Ad everyone is in a tizzy about. He also discusses legislation in North Dakota which would raise the tobacco age to 19, except for members of the military, as well as paying federal workers who are working during the shutdown. Congressman Kelly Armstrong also chats about what it's like to transition into the U.S. House while the government is shut down, an interesting conversation he had with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and whether Trump is right to stand strong on border wall funding.

Rob talks about the longest government shutdown in American history, and blames it on a bloated federal government. The states should do more, and the intransigent politicians in Washington D.C. should do less. He also comments on "abortion reversal" legislation proposed in Bismarck for the 2019 session, pointing out that we could probably do more to lower the number of abortions by focusing resources on better sex education and access to contraception. Finally, state Rep. Rick Becker of Bismarck talks about his legislation to reform civil asset forfeiture in North Dakota.

Rob's appearance on the Jay Thomas Show on WDAY AM970, talking about Legacy Fund spending and legislation regarding the display of license plates on sports cars.

Are initiated measures a good way to make public policy? Rob doesn't think so and points to Measure 1 - a constitutional amendment approved by voters in the 2018 election - as a reason why. Also Rep. Shannon Roers Jones (R-Fargo) talks to Rob about a couple of her bills, including one to let people convicted of crimes petition to have their cases sealed and another to end North Dakota's "blue law" prohibition on Sunday openings.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum joined Rob Port for the first ever episode of the Plain Talk podcast. Burgum talked about the new legislative session and what some have seen as a "frosty" relationship between his administration and lawmakers. He talked about the controversy surrounding his salary, his proposed funding for a Theodore Roosevelt library, and using Legacy Fund earnings to eliminate the income tax.